Effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on rat pups' ability to elicit retrieval behavior from dams

Abstract

Research on fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) has historically held that postnatal deficits result directly from prenatal alcohol exposure. Such exposure may alter infant behavior, and this in turn may affect maternal responsiveness and consequently increase the infant's risk for postnatal deficits. This study examined the effect of prenatal alcohol exposure on postnatal blood ethanol concentrations, pup development, and the ability of pups to elicit retrieval behaviors from the dam. Dams given access to a 15% ethanol solution throughout gestation and lactation showed blood ethanol concentrations of 0.1%, whereas their pups had concentrations below the sensitivity of the test. Prenatal alcohol exposure was shown to have pharmacological effects on the pup's righting reflex and nutritional effects on its rate of weight gain. Control pups were better able to elicit retrieval behavior from control and alcoholic dams than were fetally alcoholic pups. These results indicate that the condition of the pup can influence maternal responsiveness which, in turn, can influence pup development.

Influence of the test situation on pup retrieval behavior of normal and undernourished lactating rats

“…The initial stimuli induce proximity of dam and pups and perioral trigeminal stimulation elicits the retrieval and grouping of the pups in the nest (28,29). A variety of factors can affect pup retrieval behavior, including pharmacological and environmental manipulation of mothers or pups (11,12,18,19,(30)(31)(32)(33)(34).…”

Neurofunctional Effects of Developmental Alcohol Exposure in Alcohol-Preferring and Alcohol-Nonpreferring Rats

“…The decrease in vocalization during the neonatal period is interesting in view of the observation that prenatally alcohol-exposed newborn pups are less able to attract the attention of their mother than are control pups (Abel and Greizerstein 1982). In this regard, another example of altered neonatal behavior resulting in altered dam response is that pups exposed to alcohol prenatally are unable to elicit retrieval from a dam as quickly as control pups (Ness and Franchina 1990).…”

Ultrasonic vocalizations and maternal–infant interactions in a rat model of fetal alcohol syndrome

“…Because peak vocalization frequency varies with species, age of the animal, and other factors, the frequency used was determined by pilot studies in our lab as optimal for vocalization detection in this model. The frequency also is similar to frequencies used in previous studies on USVs (Kehoe & Shoemaker, 1991;Ness & Franchina, 1990). The number of vocalizations for each animal was recorded using a manual counter.…”

“…Rat pups exposed to alcohol during development display disrupted feeding patterns, evidenced by a longer latency to attach to a nipple and shortened periods of time spent attached to the nipple (Barron, Kelly, & Riley, 1992;Rockwood & Riley, 1990;Subramanian, 1992). In addition, pups exposed to alcohol prenatally have difficulty eliciting retrieval from a dam as quickly as control pups (Ness & Franchina, 1990). However, this effect has not been universally observed.…”